


We'll Fade Out Tonight

by coupe_de_foudre



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Bodyguard Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Clueless Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Markus (Detroit: Become Human) Plays the Piano, Markus (Detroit: Become Human) Whump, Painting, Romance, accidental confessions, but only slightly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 03:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17317091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupe_de_foudre/pseuds/coupe_de_foudre
Summary: As though sensing Markus’ eyes on him, Connor broke from his internal calculations to look over at the RK200. The slightest tilt of Connor’s mouth showed hints of a smile, and Markus happily returned it. They held each other’s gaze for a moment longer before Markus’ attention was brought back to the interview currently taking place.





	We'll Fade Out Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> So...I did another rk1k drabble (does this even still count as a drabble?).
> 
> Title from The A Team by Ed Sheeran.
> 
> Happy reading, snowflakes <3

Markus swivelled mindlessly in his chair, elbows propped up on the desk in front of him as he listening to Joss Douglas from Channel 16 converse with North and Simon about the newly passed laws that enable androids to be regarded as humans would in the eyes of the law. It wasn’t the first step towards equality they had taken, and it wasn’t the last either, but for now it was gaining more and more support from people across the city.

North is sat to his left, animatedly explaining the positives of both harm against androids being a crime now and androids also being able to be accused of crime, whilst Simon is to his right and cutting in with facts every now and then. Josh is on the other side of Simon, flicking through some notes that they’d written out in preparation for the interview. They didn’t need to have them written down since they could just transmit them through the network, but Josh said it made them appear less robotic and could increase public opinion. Markus wasn’t in any rush to start disagreeing with the level-headed android anytime soon; he knew the best approaches when it came to public support.

In fact, if it weren’t for Josh, Markus would have struggled significantly in getting this far.

Stood to the far right of the interview room was Connor, suit and tie pristine as usual and his hair slicked back (excluding the loose curl that had escaped such clutches). His eyes were flitting around the room with purpose, and Markus knew that he was pre-constructing any possible dangers that could happen.

Since accepting his deviancy and joining Markus’ cause, the ex-detective was out of a job and therefore had nothing to do with all the hours in the day. Upon seeing his extraordinarily advanced fighting techniques, negotiation skills and ability to pre-construct as well as Markus himself could, the revolution leader proposed that Connor stepped up as a ‘bodyguard’ as sorts. He only really had to be on guard whilst out (this situation a perfect example) and keep tabs on any threats made against Markus and the other androids. Connor happily obliged, simply happy to be able to help in whatever way he could.

Standing up for them and securing their safety definitely helped Simon, North and Josh to slowly begin trusting Connor – and now, almost 3 months after the first protests, they regarded Connor as one of their own. Something about that warmed Markus’ insides, in a feeling that he had labelled as ‘happiness’, judging by its similarities to humans that experienced such an emotion.

As though sensing Markus’ eyes on him, Connor broke from his internal calculations to look over at the RK200. The slightest tilt of Connor’s mouth showed hints of a smile, and Markus happily returned it. They held each other’s gaze for a moment longer before Markus’ attention was brought back to the interview currently taking place.

“-so you’re saying an android shouldn’t be able to defend itself in dangerous situations?” North bristled, and Joss looked taken aback. Simon nudged his elbow into Markus side and the leader of the group cleared his throat to stop North before she continued.

Casting his friend a warning look, Markus turned to face Joss and the camera angled towards his face. “I believe that we have already discussed this situation with those in the government.” The tone of his voice clearly said that he was ready to move onto the next question, leaving no room for argument. Joss sensed this, nodding his head and swiping a finger across the device in his hand as he looked for another topic to discuss.

Markus uses the moment of pause to glance quickly back over to Connor, who was now no longer looking his way and instead is staring straight ahead with a blank face. Had he not been wringing his hands (his giveaway nervous tick) Markus would have worried that something terrible had happened.

Something about Connor’s hands brought Markus a familiar feeling of comfort. Scanning through his memories, Markus found what he was looking for and played it in the corner of his mind whilst awaiting the live news interview to continue. Luckily, the camera had shifted back to Simon.

_Cold. That’s what Markus felt. An icy, unwelcomed shiver ran through his wires as he shot up from his position on the church bench._

_It was quiet, gone past 3am. Most of the androids occupying the church hall were either charging themselves or in rest mode to preserve power. So nobody was there to see the tears begin to cascade down his skin in waterfalls, an unfamiliar reaction that had come with deviancy._

_Markus felt sick, if that’s what it was even called. The wires in his system were tangled, squeezing and pulling and rejecting each other in a frenzy that left his mind unable to focus on any single task. All he could do was stay sat on the bench, knees tugged to his chest and chin resting above them. His body shook with the trauma it was currently re-experiencing: the junkyard, dragging his lifeless body through a graveyard of androids, a morgue of mud and rain and death. The pain that he’d felt upon waking up surrounded by nothing but hopelessness had been unbearable – it still was unbearable._

_Every once in a while Markus would experience that moment like it was happening again. There was nothing he could use to fight against it; he just had to sit through the mindless torture until it would eventually end._

_But, unlike the past times this had happened, Markus felt someone’s hand gently rest on his shaking shoulder. Strong and reassuring. It squeezed, fingers digging into his skin slightly in a grounding motion and Markus found a small amount of tension trickle out of his system._

_Tilting his head, Markus met Connor’s worried gaze. “I-I-I…” He what? How could he explain this to Connor?_

_Somehow, Connor managed to understand all that Markus wasn’t able to tell him and he simply offered Markus a sympathetic smile and seated himself behind Markus, legs falling to the side of the bench. Hands were soon brought up to Markus’ head, gently lowering it down until he was resting against Connor’s chest – the steady thrum of the RK800’s thirium pump managing to soothe him further._

_Markus just watched, fighting against the battle in his system as Connor moved his hands once again and began to slowly press his thumbs into Markus’ shoulders. Fingers gripped at the base of his neck, small circles being drawn into his skin with just the right amount of pressure. Markus allowed his eyes to slide shut, feeling s wave of calm rush inside him._

_It took another ten minutes, but Markus soon felt himself stabilising enough to control his basic speech and movement. However, he was comfortable leaning against Connor, the other massaging him with a soft but calculated touch. A whimper fell from Markus’ lips when Connor’s thumb brushed over a particularly sensitive spot, just below his shoulder, and he melted even further into the touch. Blinking his eyes open, he found Connor looking down at him with a smile and he continued to massage into Markus’ back._

The memory brought a smile to Markus’ lips as he quickly ran through the live feedback of the interview so he wasn’t behind on the conversation. It seemed that nobody was really paying the leader that much attention, surprisingly more interested in discussing the new accommodation plans with Simon and Josh. North was impatiently tapping her fingers on the desk, the movement subtle but there nonetheless. Clearly, she was still annoyed over the earlier argument.

Markus sighed, he’d have to have a talk with her after this and remind her that they were here to show a willingness to co-operate with humans, not threaten them for misunderstanding.

Catching Connor’s subtle re-adjustment of his tie in the corner of the room, Markus’ attention is soon taken by the RK800 again. Connor isn’t looking anywhere in particular, eyes darting around the room, but Markus notices that his lower lip is being tugged harshly by the android’s teeth. Ignoring the strange effect the action of his friend had on him, Markus instead searched for another memory to occupy himself as he waited for a need to speak in the interview. He didn’t want to always be speaking; sharing the power of being leader amongst his closest friends worked out better in more than one way.

_“What are you doing?” Markus smiled, approaching Connor’s side and looking over his shoulder. The canvas stood before Connor was coated in a blend of bright, mismatched paints. Manic and un-organised – two complete opposites of the android responsible for said painting._

_Connor shrugged, a laugh bubbling up from his voicebox. “I figured I’d see what all the fuss was about. You always paint something when you’re stressed.”_

_Markus frowned, a hand coming up to rest on Connor’s lower back. “Are you stressed?” Another shrug. “Why?”_

_Connor sighed, head dropping. “I don’t know. I-I don’t…I can’t understand all of these…these emotions!” Markus noticed his fingers twitching by the pocket of his jacket, obviously itching for his coin. Instead, Markus took the hand in his free one, squeezing Connor’s fingers reassuringly._

_“Hey,” Markus whispered, pulling his and Connor’s hands up so that he could hook his fingers under the RK800’s chin and bring his face up to meet his. Their noses were now close enough to be touching, should one of them move their head in the slightest._

_Lowering their hands again, but not releasing his grip, Markus fixed Connor with a determined stare._

_“There’s nothing wrong with not understanding your emotions. It’s normal, okay? Everyone experiences it from time to time. I experience it every day!” Connor was listening intently, artificial breathe stroking Markus’ cheek as he breathed slowly. “I paint when I’m stressed because it helps me. Whatever I end up creating is a physical replication of my emotions and I find that reassuring when I’m lost and confused.”_

_Connor glanced sideways to look over his painting, a smirk twisting into his lips. “I think I must be very confused if that’s supposed to be a replication of my emotions.”_

_Markus chuckled, finally letting go of Connor and taking a step towards the freshly opened paints. “No, you just need to learn how to open your mind. Let your thoughts guide your hand,” Passing Connor a clean brush and the palette of paints, Markus made sure to replace the canvas with a new one before stepping aside. “Close your eyes.”_

_Connor did as he instructed. Markus tried not to focus so much on the blissful perfection of his friend’s face: the curve of his lips, the arch in his eyebrows, the gentle flutters of his eyelashes, the moles that dotted his pale skin…_

_“Try to imagine something that doesn’t exist. Something you’ve never seen. Now concentrate on how it makes you feel and let your hand drift across the canvas.” Markus repeated the words that Carl had once told him, remembering the freeing sensation that he’d felt as the brush in his hand had touched the canvas for the first time – the first proper time, at least._

_Watching in awe, Markus saw Connor do just that. The other android had his lower lip caught between his teeth, wringing it out with concentration as he glided paint across the blank canvas. A knot formed between his brows as he focused and Markus felt the unexplainable urge to press a kiss over the area. He resisted, hands falling to his side and fingers tapping a soundless tune on his thigh._

“Markus?” Josh asked, leaning forward over the desk so that he could look past Simon.

Markus blinked, realising that he’d drifted off further into his mind. Laughing nervously, he apologised and turned his gaze back to Joss.

“So, what are your opinions on wages for androids?” Joss questioned, regarding Markus with a suspicious look but not mentioning anything questionable.

Markus straightened up, fixing the camera pointed at him with a calm but powerful stare. “I believe that, should an android choose to enter a career, they should receive reasonable pay for their time and efforts. Of course, androids do not require food or other necessities that humans do and therefore that should be considered when calculating a minimum wage for androids. Simon here actually ran some test calculations regarding such a matter,” Markus explained, gesturing to his friend and allowing him to step in to show his work.

His memories are still open in the corner of his sight and Markus can’t resist from opening the suggested file, already smiling as he remembers the night like it was yesterday.

_It’s early morning, 2:41am to be precise, mid-April, and Markus is sat up on the rooftop claimed as his own personal hideout. He has his canvases and piano up here, along with a pile of books and a tatty chessboard that he recovered from an abandoned home._

_He’s currently sat at the piano, fingers gliding over the keys with an ease that comes from playing an instrument as often as he does. Usually, he’d be alone in moments like these._

_However, there was nothing usual about anything that included Connor – which explained why the ex-detective himself was sat by Markus’ feet, back to the piano and eyes closed as he listened to the soft melody emitting from the instrument. Markus didn’t feel inclined to ask him to leave, actually finding his presence comforting. There’s a strange warmth flooding his wires, spreading in a way similar to a virus but bringing no threat to his system. It’s a feeling that’s Markus has been experiencing a lot lately, especially around his most-trusted friend, but he couldn’t diagnose it._

_Another twenty minutes passed with Markus playing continuously, gentle tunes floating through the night’s air. Not a sound is exchanged between the two friends, and somehow Markus isn’t surprised when he feels something hit his leg and looks down to find Connor resting his head against him. A quick scan shows that the RK800 has fallen into rest mode, his power almost drained completely._

_Markus smiled, enjoying the blissful expression on his friend’s face as he rested. He didn’t move his leg, not wanting to disturb Connor. Instead, Markus continued to play the piano throughout the night, watching as the sun cut through the morning’s brisk air and shone an orange glow over the greys of Detroit._

One of Markus’ favourite memories. The smile that took over his face was no longer unnoticeable as Markus shifted his eyes from Joss to Simon to Connor.

“What I, and many of the public, want to know is this:” Joss suddenly spoke, and Markus quickly looked back to him with a brief smile that urged him to continue, “Are androids capable of feeling love?”

“Yes.”

Markus froze. Shit, he hadn’t meant to say anything.

Technically, he wasn’t wrong because of course androids could feel love; it’s an emotion and they experience all emotions just as humans do. But it was the speed in which he’d answered the question that had caught everyone’s attention.

The cameras zoomed in on his conflicted face. His friends turned to fix him with questioning looks. Joss leaned forward with a raised eyebrow, waiting for Markus to explain.

Markus couldn’t.

Instead, he found his mismatched eyes drifting across the room and returning to Connor. He felt his thirium pump malfunction momentarily as he noticed Connor’s eyes already boring into him, questions running through the other’s mind and evident through the fast movements on his face as he tried to register his emotions.

Markus gulped, mouth feeling dry and voicebox stuttering uselessly.

Was it love? Did he love Connor? H hadn’t really considered it before, but now that he’s said it – now that the thought is in his mind – he can’t deny that it adds up. All the lingering touches, the longing glances, the urges to kiss him on the forehead of hand or…lips.

Yeah. It was love.

Fuck, Markus was in love with Connor.

How had he not realised this sooner?

Markus hardly registers the cameraman twisting his position to follow the RK200’s fixed stare, lens now focused on Connor. Nobody has spoken in well over a minute and this is a live feed.

Joss must have realised this as he suddenly clears his throat and begins to wrap up the interview.

But Markus doubts anybody watching this is listening to the news reporter’s words (he’s certainly not) because Connor has started to walk. Four wide, confident strides across the room until he’s stood in front of Markus – only a desk between them.

Markus takes one look of Connor’s face, the softness in his features, the quirk in his lips, the watery tears covering his eyes, and he knows. Markus just knows that Connor knows.

That’s the last thought that enters Markus’ mind before warm lips are suddenly on his. Worry and longing melts into relief as Markus draws his arms around Connor’s neck to assist in the other bending down low enough to continue the kiss for just a few more seconds. He’s aware of the camera trained on the two of them, hears the faint gasps come from his side, but right now he just wants to drink all of Connor in.

When Connor does eventually pull them apart, he keeps a closeness between them as he rests his forehead against Markus’, not before brushing his lips over the skin there. “Idiot.” Markus hears Connor murmur, but he’s unsure as to who it’s directed towards. He surmises that it fits them both appropriately.

**Author's Note:**

> Suggestions welcomed!!
> 
> Love you guys, thank you for all the support on my recent works x


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